Dying to Self – The Freedom of Living Life as a Corpse
Romans 6:5-7
“For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”
In the above Scripture, Paul gives us a vivid and profound word picture of what it means to die to self and live life as a corpse. It is true that “he who has died is freed from sin” but can we, who are living, be freed from sin? And what does it mean to be united with Christ in the likeness of His death and resurrection? Or is this just one of those lofty spiritual metaphors that go right over our heads when we read it?
A Divine Revelation
First and foremost, we need to understand that Jesus’ death wasn’t just a one-time event, it was a lifestyle. It started for Him at birth! His life was in danger from conception. Mary, though engaged to Joseph, agrees to conceive the Son of God as an unmarried woman (virgin) which puts her life and the life of Jesus at risk. Why would getting pregnant put her and the child’s life at risk? Well, if an engaged woman was found to be pregnant before the marriage was consummated, it was Jewish law that she be taken to the edge of the city and stoned to death. However, the angel of the Lord intervened before this could happen and instructed Joseph to take Mary as his wife. The next threat to Jesus’ life was when Herod sought to kill him two years after his birth (Matthew 2:12-13). Then as an adult, after preaching at the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth, they accused Him of blasphemy and decided to kill him by throwing him off a cliff. In Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin (Pharisees and religious leaders) also plotted to kill Him because His teachings threatened their authority and power (Matthew 12:1-14, Mark 14:55, John 5:1-18, John 11: 45-47)
In John 5:19 Jesus describes what dying daily to self, looked like for Him. “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” Therefore, He did nothing on His own initiative. He wasn’t self-reliant, nor was He self-focused or motivated by self-interest. He was completely submissive to the will of His Father and chose to be absolutely dependent on the Father for everything. John 6:38 says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” Then in Matthew 26:39, when the cost of doing God’s will requires the ultimate sacrifice of self by dying on a cross, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Therefore, Jesus lived a life that was dead to self in both the daily aspect and ultimately in death, dying for the sin of all mankind!
A Divine Challenge
At this point, we might ask, “How does dying to self, benefit us?” Even Jesus wanted the cup of death to pass by Him. No flesh wants/desires to suffer loss, especially if our lives are at stake. But dying to self was a daily part of Jesus’ life, and therefore, as His followers, we will have to deal with dying to self, daily as well. How well we do this will say volumes about us and our relationship with Christ.
However, dying to self does come with benefits. The first benefit we experience is our salvation. Salvation acknowledges the sacrifice He made on the cross as payment for our sins and believes He rose again three days later. It also requires us to surrender our lives to His Lordship, and this is where living life as a corpse begins.
The second benefit is that Christ comes to live in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Galatians 2:20 says it best, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” What greater benefit is there in dying to self than having Jesus live your life for you? I don’t know of anyone who could do it better than He does, that’s for sure. But we do have to die to the flesh; our interests, self-reliance, and submit our will to His to have that happen.
Finally, there is another benefit to living life as a corpse that should spur us to do so wholeheartedly. It is found in John 14:12, “Truly, Truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do…”
Call to Action
WOW! To do greater works than Jesus did is beyond comprehension but that is what He promises. Again, this only happens when we are willing to die to ourselves and embrace the freedom of living life as a corpse. I’m ready! How about you?
Father, Your Son died so we could live in Him and through Him in ways that glorify You. “Apart from Him, we can do nothing.” Help us Holy Spirit to lay down our lives and surrender our will to the will of the Father so that Jesus can live in us and through us, to the glory and praise of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!